7 Clever Tactics to Selling Out of Stock on Your Shopify Store (Part 2)
In this second part, we keep diving into proactive methods to prevent lost sales of out-of-stock items on your Shopify store. We’ll explore how tools like waitlist button, low-stock alerts, cart cross-sells, and preorder solutions help you proactively manage OOS situations before they impact conversions.
💡Read The Part 1: 8 Clever Tactics to Continue Selling When Out of Stock on Shopify
9. Promote “Almost Gone” Items in Wishlists
When stock is low for a wishlist item, it gets a bold “Only a Few Left” label or a similar alert that draws the customer’s eye. To ensure these items don’t get overlooked, they’re often shown at the top of the wishlist with an urgent message or color-coded warning, like a red tag or icon.
Examples of “Almost Gone” Items in Wishlists:
In the image below of Sephora, you can see a “Get These Before They’re Gone” section, featuring products from brands like Valentino and TOM FORD. Each item shows an “ONLY A FEW LEFT” alert, highlighted in red, making it clear that stock is limited. Placing these items right at the top of the wishlist subtly nudges customers to act fast before these items are gone for good.
Recommended Shopify Wishlist Apps:
After testing the top wishlist apps for Shopify, here are our recommendations for boosting sales and customer engagement:
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10. Show Cart Cross-Sells for Out-of-Stock Products
When a product in a customer’s cart goes out of stock, the cart automatically displays a cross-sell section labeled with something like “Shop Similar” or “You May Also Like.” This section suggests similar products, such as items with the same style, color, or function, so customers can easily find a replacement without leaving the cart.
Examples of In-cart Cross-Sells for Out-of-Stock Products:
Look at this example of Wayfair! They prominently displays a message in the cart to inform the customer, stating that the item is unavailable and providing the option to either “Remove” or “Save for Later.” This ensures transparency and keeps the customer informed.
Just below the out-of-stock item, Wayfair shows a “Compare Similar Items” section. This is where they strategically place alternative poufs or furniture pieces that resemble the original item.
Recommended Shopify In-cart Cross-sell Apps:
We found two apps that feature in-cart cross-selling and upselling. We suggest you test them to assess how they can help you display cross-sells for out-of-stock items.
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11. Send “Almost Gone” Emails for Low-Stock Items in Cart
When a customer leaves an item in their cart but doesn’t complete the purchase, it’s a perfect opportunity to gently remind them of what they’re about to miss. By sending a well-timed “Almost Gone” email, you can alert customers if an item in their cart is running low on stock.
You can further enhance this email by showing alternatives or similar products, increasing the likelihood that the customer will still make a purchase even if their original choice is no longer available.
Examples of Sending “Almost Gone” Emails for Low-Stock Items in Cart
Take a cue from Nine West, who has mastered this tactic. When a customer leaves an item in their cart, Nine West sends an email that not only informs the shopper that the item is almost sold out but also includes a “check availability” button. If the item has already sold out, they offer similar, visually comparable products as alternatives. This personalized nudge not only helps clear out inventory but also keeps the customer engaged with other relevant products.
Recommended Apps to Send Automatic Emails for Low-Stock Items
For Shopify merchants, we suggest these 2 popular tools, Klaviyo and Omnisend can help you seamlessly automate this process. These email platforms allow you to set up flows that automatically trigger when a cart is abandoned or when a product is running low on stock. You can customize the messaging to include urgency-driven subject lines such as “Hurry! Only a few left in stock” or “Last chance to grab this item before it’s gone.”
Omnisend | Klaviyo |
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Email & SMS automation, popups, pre-built templates, social proof integration | Advanced segmentation, AI tools, multi-channel automation, deep Shopify integration |
Best For: Simple, affordable solution for basic low-stock alerts and list building | Best For: Data-driven, personalized campaigns with advanced analytics and segmentation |
Get started with Snap Presale & Backorder for free now!
12. Always Provide Variant Fallbacks
Ever clicked “Add to Cart” only to be met with a disappointing “Sold Out” message? It’s a major bummer, right? Enter variant fallbacks. These little heroes automatically suggest similar products when your first choice is unavailable. Imagine you’re eyeing a pair of blue sneakers in size 10, but they’re out of stock. A good e-commerce site will quickly offer you size 9 or 11 in blue, or maybe a different color in size 10.
Recommended Apps to Send Automatic Emails for Low-Stock Items
After testing a range of apps designed to manage product variants effectively, we’ve found that both Globo Product Options and Infinite Product Options stand out as good choices for providing variant fallbacks on Shopify stores.
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13. Add Low-Stock Flags to Boost Conversions and Prevent Disappointment
Prevention is the best cure when it comes to managing low stock. Alerting customers to low-stock items in real time can help increase urgency, boost conversions, and reduce the likelihood of disappointment during a future visit. When customers see that a product is in limited supply, they’re more likely to act fast, reducing the chances of cart abandonment or missing out on a desired item.
However, the key to effectiveness lies in how you present these low-stock alerts. Stock messages that are hard to find or easily overlooked won’t create the sense of urgency you need. For example, using black text in a subtle location, such as near variant chips, can make the alert easy to miss.
Examples of Sending “Almost Gone” Emails for Low-Stock Items in Cart
A great example of this strategy is Alo Yoga, which displays an ‘Almost Gone’ flag when a color variant is running low on stock. This message appears prominently on the product list, right when customers are selecting their color options. This helps create urgency without being too intrusive, pushing customers to complete their purchase before the item sells out.
- Note: The flag works well for color variants, but doesn’t include size variants, so keep this in mind when implementing similar alerts on your store. Also, this feature is available on desktop but could be extended to mobile in the future for broader reach.
Recommended Shopify Apps to Show Low-Stock Alert Items
We’ve identified three apps that offer versatile and customizable options for low-stock flags along with other useful sales tools. Test their functions and let us know do they meet your demand?
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14. Split Payments for Preorder Products
One barrier customers often face with preorders is the upfront cost. For items that won’t ship right away, some shoppers are hesitant to pay the full amount upfront, which can lead to hesitation or lost sales. To tackle this, offering split payment options for preorder products is a highly effective strategy to drive conversions while meeting customers’ financial preferences.
Imagine a popular limited-edition product launch—perhaps a designer bag, a high-end tech gadget, or an artisanal home décor piece. By enabling split payments, you give interested customers the opportunity to “lock in” their purchase with a smaller deposit, while they anticipate its arrival and prepare for the final payment. This split payment model not only increases affordability but also enhances the shopping experience, making it feel more exclusive and accessible.
Recommended Partial Payment Shopify Apps
- Snap PreSale & Backorder is an ideal app to support split payments for preorder items. With flexible payment scheduling, Snap PreSale & Backorder allows Shopify merchants to set up split payment options, automate payment reminders, and track preorder inventory with ease
💡Read our detailed review of the 10 best Shopify Pre-order apps with partial payment here
15. Offer Discounts for Preorder Items
One powerful tactic for keeping customers engaged, even when products aren’t immediately available, is to offer exclusive discounts on preorder items. By providing a limited-time discount on preorders, you’re not only incentivizing customers to buy early but also creating a sense of exclusivity around your products.
This strategy is widely used by brands looking to create buzz around product launches or high-demand items. For example, if you have a best-selling product that’s temporarily out of stock in certain variants, offering customers a small discount or a partial payment option can help secure their purchase without losing the sale. This approach not only generates early sales but also builds excitement with limited, preorder-only offers.
Just be sure to provide an estimated arrival date to build trust and keep customers informed about when to expect their order. This transparency reassures them, enhancing both their confidence in your brand and their overall shopping experience.
Recommended Shopify apps that allow creating presales discounts
- The same as for split payments, we also recommend using the Snap Presale & Backorder app. You can offer special rates to your customers on preordered items, while keeping track of demand and availability. Snap Presale & Backorder also supports features like product-specific discounting, ensuring that only designated preorder items receive the promotional pricing.
Never Let Sales Fly Away Because of Out-of-Stock!
When stock issues arise, they don’t have to mean lost sales. By implementing proactive strategies we introduced like low-stock alerts, cart cross-sells, and preorder options, you’re not just keeping customers engaged—you’re actively turning challenges into opportunities.
So, what’s your next step?
- Which of these strategies could have the biggest impact on your sales?
- How can you tailor alerts, recommendations, and preorder discounts to fit your brand’s unique style?
- Are you ready to turn out-of-stock situations into high-conversion moments?
Take your stock management to the next level with tools like Snap Presale & Backorder, making it easy to set up preorder discounts, notify customers about stock updates, and keep your shoppers coming back. Try out these strategies and watch as you convert potential lost sales into loyal, satisfied customers!
Get started with Snap Presale & Backorder for free now!
